Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Delusions Of Grandeur By Jeremy Spencer Copyright 2004

   All rights reserved.  This story may be downloaded for personal use, but
any posting to a website, free or otherwise, is strictly forbidden.  If you
have found this story somewhere other than my page
(/~Jeremy_Spencer/) or at Storiesonline, please let me
know by filling in a feedback form at either place.

   Author's Note: The following is a fictional story.  In it, fictional
characters have hot, sweaty, unprotected, fictional sex.  They live in a
fictional world without fictional diseases.  You do not.  Be careful.  All
characters in this story are old enough to know what they're doing.  Now,
on to the show!

   *****

   Based on the Fleming & John album "Delusions of Grandeur - Each 300 word
flash piece is named after a song title.

   Part One - I'M NOT AFRAID

   Shelly came to my door, battered and bruised, begging for a place to
stay.  I recognized her as an occupant of an apartment down the hall.  I'd
lusted after her for years, but she was married.

   "Shelly!  What happened?"

   She looked away, and I could see the skin around her eye, puffy and dark
with bruising.  I understood now.  She was getting smacked around.

   "Are you okay?  Did Jake do this to you?" I asked, concerned she may be
hurt.  She said she was fine, but paused, glancing down at her feet, before
nodding again.  Fucking Jake.  I shook my head.  At least she was here. 
That was the first step for her.

   We walked into the bathroom, to wash away the dirt and grit.

   I watched as, unconcerned with my presence, she undressed.  She
stretched her back, and I fought to suppress a moan as her breasts pushed
against the threadbare cloth of her blouse, stretching the thin material.

   "You just gonna watch, Eric?" she asked, noticing where my eyes were
looking.  I started to stammer an apology, but she shrugged, again
nonchalant.  "I don't care if you stay, but you're washing my back."

   I nodded dumbly as her nimble fingers made quick work of the rest of her
clothes, now piled together on the cold tile floor.

   She stepped into the shower, sighing as the warm water washed away
layers of grime.  I watched enviously as suds from her shampoo slipped
between the firm cheeks of her ass.  I realized I was staring, and again
offered to leave.  She shook her head.

   "I'm not afraid," she explained.  "You won't hurt me."

   I wondered why she was so sure.  I wondered if she had been surprised
each time Jake hit her.  She was right, though.  I wouldn't hurt her.

   Part Two - BREAK THE CIRCLE

   I was surprised how many wife-beaters were willing to show their faces,
although I suppose it was good they wanted to change

   It was the second meeting of Shelly's support group for abuse victims,
and she had asked me to come with her.  She had moved out of her apartment
the week before, a move I supported wholeheartedly.  Her husband didn't
appear happy, and cursed her as she gathered her belongings.

   "You must be willing to break the circle of violence," the speaker said.
"Violence begets more violence.  Abusers abuse, while victims turn
repeatedly to those who abuse."

   Break the circle.  It sounded simple enough, but I knew it was never
that easy, at least for most couples.

   We drove back to my apartment.  I had a spare room where Shelly was
sleeping, while her belongings slowly took over my living room.

   As I pulled over to the curb, Shelly turned to me, a question in her
eyes.

   "Eric?  Can we go dancing?  Jake...  never liked me to go dancing."

   I nodded, happy for any happy diversion.

   We bounced to the powerful beat.  As the tempo slowed, we clutched at
each other, faces sweaty with our exertions.  Shelly slid her body against
mine, swaying sensuously to the beat.  I felt my arousal increase as she
pushed her hips against me, my cock swelling and thickening in my slacks.

   On slower numbers, Shelly melted into my embrace, and we swayed
together. I could feel the soft pillows of her breasts and the heat of her
pussy as her crotch lightly humped my leg.

   Sliding my hands down her back, I rested on her firm ass cheeks.  She
moaned into my ear, her lips brushing my neck.

   "Thank you," she whispered.

   I chuckled silently.  Anything to help her break the circle.

   Part Three - DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR

   We lay in bed, my hand trailing over Shelly's smooth back.  Her fingers
were still playing with my rapidly softening cock, her right leg resting
over mine.  I could feel the heat of her pussy and the soft hairs of her
mound as Shelly slid against my body.

   "That was unexpected," she said, looking into my eyes.  I cocked my head
in question, stretching my neck to kiss her lightly on the forehead.  I
tasted the salty tang of her sweat and licked my lips before kissing her
again.

   "What do you mean?"

   She smiled sadly for a moment.  "I was convinced it was me, you know? 
Everything that went wrong, it was my fault, so he'd hit me.  Anything out
of place, anything that didn't go as planned, it was all because of me, so
he'd toss me around a little bit.  I figured I deserved getting beat up."

   I reached my hand to her face, stroking her cheeks.

   "Never your fault," I whispered into her ear.  "You're sweet and gentle
and kind and loving and beautiful.  He's the asshole."

   Shelly released my penis before throwing her hands around my neck,
pulling us close as she squeezed me tightly.

   "Thank you," she said.  "Thank you.  I hated myself, and would have
killed myself if not for you." She had come to my apartment one day, dirty
and bruised and in need of love, and I had done what I could.  "You are the
one reason I'm still here.  The one thing that's given me hope." She paused
before continuing.  "I love you.  You're the best thing that's ever
happened to me."

   "Me?" I chucked softly.  "Trust, me.  I have no delusions of grandeur. I
know I'm nothing special."

   Shelly raised her eyebrows, shaking her head softly.  "Yes you are."

   Part Four - RAIN ALL DAY

   "Jake wants to get back together," Shelly announced.  I choked on my
toast, and looked at her.  It had been a month since she moved out of her
abusive relationship and into our loving one.  We'd never discussed it, but
I thought it felt permanent.

   "Oh." I sighed, remembering what I'd heard about victims often returning
to their abusers.  "Should I help you pack?"

   "What?  Eric!  Oh my God, no!" Shelly looked panicked before realizing
my confusion.  "Honey," she said, "that's what he wants, but not what I
want.  I want you." She leaned forward, lightly brushing her lips over my
cheek.

   "You have me," I answered, watching her eyes light up.  I pulled her
closer, kissing her on the lips.  Chaste at first, it quickly grew more
heated as the fires within us spread.

   I reached around, grabbing at her muscular legs and buttocks, clothed
only in tiny panties, her top covered with an old t-shirt.  As I embraced
her, she spread her legs, straddling my lap.

   Shelly pressed her breasts against me, and I felt the diamond-sharp
points of her nipples, poking into my chest.  Her damp pussy mound brushed
against my leg, and I felt her heat as she humped against my thigh.

   Reaching down, I released my erect cock from my baggy shorts.  Pulling
aside the flimsy crotch of her panties, I sank into her hot tunnel.

   We made love in the kitchen, contently moving and sliding against one
another.

   Soon, I released my seed, feeling her slick folds spasm around me.  I
collapsed back into my chair, Shelly still draped over me.  Glancing out
the window, I noticed it had begun to rain.

   "I don't care," Shelly sighed.  "For all I care it can rain all day, as
long as you don't move."

   Part Five - LETTERS IN MY HEAD

   "What's eating at you?" I finally asked, unable to remain silent.

   "What do you mean?" Shelly looked confused at my question.

   "I don't know.  You seem a little...  mopey, I guess."

   "Mopey?" She smiled.  "Is that a word?"

   I snorted.  "Of course it is.  Look at Disney, for goodness' sake.  You
think he'd name one of the dwarfs Mopey if it wasn't a real word?"

   "There was no dwarf named Mopey," she said, laughing at me.

   "Sure there was," I huffed.  "Happy.  Sleepy.  Grumpy.  Doc.  Bashful.
Sneezy.  Mopey.  That's seven."

   "It wasn't Mopey," she laughed.  "It was...  something else."

   "Oh, really?  Positive, are you?"

   "Yes.  Check online." We did, and she was right.  "See!  It was Dopey. I
was right, you big dope." She grinned at me.

   "Fine, you win." I paused.  "But seriously, Shelly, what's been eating
at you?"

   She sighed before answering.  "I don't know.  I took all the crap and
abuse Jake gave me for so long, and now it's done, and I don't really feel
all that much better."

   "Really?" Her divorce had been finalized the week before, but she was
right, she hadn't seemed as upbeat about it as I would have thought.  "Why
not?"

   "Because, I took all his shit for so long, and it's finally over and
what now?  He goes back to being a jerk, nothing happens to him, and I have
all these horrible memories about it.  Seems like I kinda got the short end
of the stick."

   "But it's over.  You won."

   "I suppose.  Well anyway, I keep writing letters in my head," she
continued.  "All the things I should have said to him, but I was always too
afraid.  Now I don't need to."

   "Don't need to what?  To write the letters, or to be afraid?"

   She smiled.  "Both."

   Part Six - LOVE SONGS

   I was nervous as hell, standing at the front of the church.  What if she
decided it was a mistake.  What if she had too many memories of Jake that
she was ruined from every marrying again?

   What if what if what if?

   And then, there she was, standing behind her three attendants.  She was
dressed in white, as all brides should.  She held a bouquet in her hands,
and waited while her nephew stumbled down the aisle, spilling rose pedals
with each step.

   Shelly was more graceful than anyone had ever been.  She was more
beautiful than any woman had ever been.  I am sure of this, and no one will
ever convince me otherwise.

   We stood before the priest, and I felt my hands shaking.  When it was
time to place the ring on her finger, I fumbled, swearing silently, unable
to accomplish the simple task.

   "Relax," she whispered.  Together we faced the priest, ready to follow
the prescribed script.  We followed along perfectly, and soon it was time
to face the world as man and wife.

   Shelly blushed as I kissed her passionately, in front of friends and
family.

   The reception was a blur.  Too many people.  Too many congratulations.
Too many cameras and crying children and not enough time with my bride.

   I carried her over the threshold, and we made love for the first time as
man and wife.

   As we lay in our newly consecrated bed, I remembered a song I'd heard
and softly recited the words to her.

   Words of love and passion, sadness and regret.  Her eyes were full of
tears when I had finished.

   "I love you, Eric," she sniffed.  "I love that song.  It's beautiful. 
Sad, but happy at the same time." I smiled.

   "All the best love songs are."

   Part Seven - 6,570

   "How long?" she asked.

   "Two weeks," I answered.  Seeing how sad she looked, I tried to make a
joke.  "It's not like I'll be that far away.  Practically around the
corner."

   Shelly looked at me in surprise.  "Where are you going again?"

   "Tokyo."

   "Where do we live?"

   "Austin." I knew what she was doing, but decided to play along.

   "Which is in what state?"

   "Texas?" Three for three, I was so good at geography.

   "Is Tokyo in Texas?"

   "No.  Fine.  Point taken, I'll be a long ways away.  In fact, if my
airline miles are any indication, I'll be about 6,570 miles away.  Happy?"
Shelly looked anything but happy.  I knew how hard this was on her.  We'd
only been married a month, but there wasn't much I could do about it.  It
was work, and they weren't going to pay for her ticket to join me, and we
couldn't afford to buy it so soon after the honeymoon.

   "Will you miss me?" she asked, near tears.

   "Shelly!  Of course I will.  How can you wonder?"

   "Whenever Jake would go somewhere, he always seemed happy to get away
from me."

   "Shelly, look at me.  I'm not Jake." Shelly looked contrite, slipping
her arms around me.

   "No you're not." She tilted back and began kissing my chin, my cheeks,
around the collar of my shirt and onto my neck.  I pulled her body against
mine, and felt the muscles in her back contract as she wiggled her hips,
pressing against my erection.

   Our lips finally met.  Our mouths opened, and I felt her hot breath
against mine as she snaked her tongue out.  I met it with my own and we
dueled there for a moment.  She broke the kiss and looked at me
breathlessly.

   "No, you're much better than Jake."

   Part Eight - BAD REPUTATION

   "I think the neighbors think badly of me," I said, amused at the
expression on Shelly's face.

   "What?  Why would they?"

   "Well, apartment walls are thin, you know." She nodded.  "And you can be
fairly loud during sex." She nodded again, grinning now.  "I'm not sure
they know what I'm doing to you, but Mrs.  Sanders seems pretty sure it's
bad!"

   Shelly laughed, wiping a tear from her eye.  Suddenly there was a glint
in her eye I'd never seen.  She grabbed my hand, and without a word dragged
me to the bedroom.

   We quickly stripped, and for the millionth time I admired her body.  I
stood there naked, my erection poking out from my body as Shelly removed
her bra, her tits standing out firm and tall.  She shaved her pussy, and I
saw she was already damp, her scent permeating the air, thick and sweet.

   She kissed me passionately then turned, and I watched as she rummaged
through her dresser, finally emerging with a handful of silk scarves.  She
blushed prettily.

   "I want you to tie me up," she explained.

   I shook my head in wonder.  It was one of my fantasies, but I had feared
saying anything, because of her past.  I worried about how she would
respond to a little bondage play, no matter how loving.

   "Really?" She nodded rapidly in response, clearly excited.

   "I want you to tie me up so I can't move, and I want you to blindfold
me." I must have appeared shocked, because she giggled again.

   "Are you sure?" I asked.  "What brought this on?"

   "You did."

   "I did?" She nodded.

   "But you have to remember to gag me, in case I start screaming.  Gotta
think about the neighbors, you know." She grinned widely.  "Wouldn't want
you getting a bad reputation."

   Part Nine - HANGING ON A NOTION

   First thing, every night when I returned from work, was to check the
answering machine.  Second thing, after the answering machine, was to check
my e-mail.

   Always nothing, and I wasn't sure how much longer I could stand this.

   I had no idea what I'd done.  We hadn't fought.  We'd never fought.  One
day I returned home from work, and there was a note on the table.

   "Eric," it started.  "I'm sorry, but I have to go.  Please don't be
angry.  Love, Shelly."

   We were made for each other.  Fated for each other.  I kept my hopes up,
hanging on a notion she would return, but it seemed a fool's dream.

   Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face.  Every time the phone rang,
I hurried, knowing it was her.  Each knock on the door, I hoped, but it
never was.

   "Eric?" Her voice, finally on the other end of the telephone.

   "Shelly!  Where are you?  What's wrong?  How can I help?" Those and
more, about a million questions I had, but didn't ask.

   "I'm fine.  Can I come home?" As if she had to ask!

   "Yes, definitely, without a doubt!  Where are you?  Can I come get you?"
She said no, and without another word, hung up.  There was an immediate
knock on the door, and I raced to answer it.

   "Hi." Shelly looked haggard, aged somehow.  But she was still my Shelly,
and I swept her up in my arms, squeezing as tightly as I could.

   She giggled and beat against my back with her fists.

   "Put me down!" I did, and she stood grinning.

   "Sorry." She frowned.

   "Eric, I'm sorry, I just couldn't handle it, but now I'm okay.  But you
need to be careful."

   "Careful?"

   "Of the baby."

   The baby?  Oh!  The baby!

   Part Ten - A PLACE CALLED LOVE

   Nine months of agonizing, preparing, buying, painting, and the day was
finally here.  The time seemed to fly by in an hour.

   I sat on the edge of the bed, looking at my wife and daughter.  Shelly
was holding little Devon in her arms, and I watched as the tiny baby
reached out, and grasped her mother's finger in a tiny fist.

   "She's beautiful," Shelly whispered, gently stroking the soft blond
hair. "She smells so good." I smiled.

   "I think that's the baby powder, honey.  She didn't smell so good a few
minutes ago." Shelly stuck her tongue out at me.  Changing diapers was a
chore I would never relish, but I would do it willingly.

   "It's not that," she explained.  "It's a new baby smell.  I can't
describe it."

   I shook my head, and quickly stripped out of my clothes, ready to put on
pajamas.  It had been a long two weeks since Devon was born, and I was
ready for sleep.  I reached for my pajamas but stopped when Shelly shook
her head.

   "Don't wear anything to bed.  Tonight Devon sleeps with you," she
explained.

   I did as she wanted, and slipped into bed.

   My wife handed me our new child, and I held little Devon, looking into
her eyes.

   What are you thinking?  I wondered.  Do you know who we are?  Are you
happy to meet us?  Are you mad that we don't know what you want?

   Devon didn't answer, choosing instead to burp up a bit of dinner.  I
laughed, wiping off her face and my chest, and reclined in bed.  Shelly was
right.  Devon did smell good.

   I held her all night, resting on my back so Devon could sleep on my
chest.  Shelly kissed me, whispering, "You make this home a place called
love."
   The End